Nigeria Hosts 3rd Conference of Association of African Maritime Administration (AAMA)

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Nigeria Host 3rd Conference of Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA).

Nigeria in conjunction with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has organised the 3rd Association of African Maritime Administration (AAMA) which formation was inspired by the African Maritime Transport Charter purposely to encourage information sharing, inter-agency, sub-regional cooperation, and approach to planning, implementation, and Maritime regulation based on the principle of inclusiveness and collaboration.

The new NIMASA Logo which was unveiled by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo
While declaring the conference open, President Muhammadu Buhari, represented by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo stated that though the 2014 session of the meeting could not hold on account of the outbreak of EBOLA disease in West Africa but African Countries has worked together to established and nurtured this unique Association of African Maritime Administrations in Africa which is an exceptional demonstration of the important collaboration by the founding fathers of OAU and AU.
President Buhari said in 2013 at the second meeting of the head of the Association of African Maritime Administration, the meeting noted that “it was inspired by the global objectives guided by the founding fathers of our continental organisation in their efforts to promote unity, solidarity, cohesion, co-operation among the peoples of Africa” stressing that, flowing from here, the Association is determined to “take up the multifaceted challenges confronting the maritime sector in Africa by establishing the necessary conditions which has enabled the organisation to play its rightful role in the development of the African maritime sector has place it on a very firm foundation”.
The President unveiled the NIMASA new logo which he said, was a sign and symbol of government’s determination to reposition the Agency in order to play its role as a facilitator of economic prosperity in the Maritime sector.
The Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in his remark at the Conference which was held on Thursday, April 20, 2017 in Abuja, said “by hosting the 3rd conference of the Association after Kenya and South African hosted in 2012 and 2013 respectively, Nigeria wishes to restate its commitment to continually contribute to the growth of maritime sector on the continent of Africa and globally”.
Amaechi stated that the Conference was not merely to praise the maritime sector of Africa alone but tackle the maritime problems being encountered in the continent regretting that despite Africa’s enormous maritime endowment, the continent remain susceptible to raft of challenges which include insignificant share of cargo, low tonnage, piracy, sea robbery, undeclared and unregulated fishing, and environmental degradation.

The Minister expressed worry that worse for the continent, there is no African flagged Vessels taking cargos, Africa waterways still wallow in servitude, African human capacity greatly underdeveloped, leaving Africa to rely on foreigners to drive African industries as well as near-total absence of trained Coast Guard to monitor African maritime domain.
He opined that time has come for the Continent of Africa to declare her independence in the maritime domain imploring that the conference should deliberate and focus on issues of how to strengthen maritime administration, co-operation at the continental level to tackle perennial challenges facing African maritime domain ranging from capacity building, regulatory and enforcement issues.
Rotimi Amaechi urged Africa to put into use her comparative advantage of vast expanse of arable lands and mineral resources instead of depending on import and export trade for economic survival. “what we need is a coordinated approach, concerted and co-operative spirits among Africans so that Africa can benefit optimally from shipping and blue economy”, he said.
He noted that Nigeria has taken a bold step to making the country a deserved maritime hub by embarking on comprehensive port reforms thereby subjecting the country’s Maritime Administration to the mandatory IMSAS Audit, digitalizing all process in the maritime sector, upgrading Ports infrastructure and linking it to the rail network. He further noted that Nigeria has a robust maritime domain awareness satellite surveillance system in place and is facilitating the floating of a Nigerian National Fleet in order to get her own fair share of cargos generated in Africa.

Dignitaries from Africa and other part of the world who grace the occasion and delivered goodwill messages include; the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Mr. Kittalo Blair represented by Mr. William Azu, CEO, Maritime Trade and Economic Development, represented by David Score, Speaker, Nigeria House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Senate President, represented by the Deputy Majority Leader, Sen. Bala Ibn Naallah, Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibat Ette Ekwa Ibom and other members of the Nigeria National Assembly and Diplomatic Corp.